Do you know what it’s like when your life involuntarily orbits around something that attracts you like a magnet? Opportunities related to that thing just pop out of nowhere and it would be a pity not to use it. And sometimes they are just nice and pleasant, so why not? But finally, you discover what it is all about – and then things start to happen!
African tales
For a long time, Africa was showing up in different aspects of my life. I often listen to local music, I used to attend dancing classes inspired by this style. While living in Denmark, I quickly found a common language and interests with an extraordinary, joyful person – an African American girl with the wonderful name Kenya. Soon she became my good friend – it started with studying the language together, later we traveled hand in hand to a couple of places. Kenya and her family have visited Poland twice.
A good friend of mine, Gibson – from Zambia – has been living in Poland for 30 years. He had graduated from university here and has been living in Łódź since that time, where he works as an English teacher. I was often wondering, why doesn’t he want to come back to his country? Are things so bad in there?
In 2017, due to a series of coincidences, Gibson introduced me to three other Zambians. He met them shortly before in the center of Łódź. Gentlemen dressed in elegant shirts enthusiastically talked about their beautiful and full of potential country and establishing business contacts in Poland. They showed me wonderful photos from Zambia and were encouraging me to visit Africa. I was more and more intrigued. I started to search for opportunities to go there, preferably volunteering. At the time I was quitting my previous job, so I made a quick decision – I’m going!
1st of November 2017, I landed in Zambia as a teacher in one of the thousand private schools.
Let’s go!
My first contact with “real Africa” – by that I mean on African ground and conditions – I remember very positively. I got along well with the locals, their mentality intrigued me, I quickly made my first acquaintances, which became the seeds of friendship. So it happened – I fell in love with Zambia!
After coming back to Poland, it was not possible to forget about it: there were stories, meetings, showing photos, finally collecting materials and – another departure. Or maybe rather return? Now I felt even more “in the right place”. I lived outside the school with my friend from Linda, Beatrice whom I met the previous time. Later I rent my own place, where children from the neighborhood started gathering. They were school children coming after their lessons as well as those, who do not have the opportunity to study. My friends and neighbors were eagerly engaging in various activities with the children and plans were growing bigger and bigger.
Departures and returns
Three months later, despite being in Poland, I had daily contact with Beatrice and the local community in Linda. I was running Zambian workshops, getting inspiration and noting new ideas. Meanwhile, once started machine called CreatIWE Home has been working better and developing thanks to the support of local people.
In the last months of 2019, I am going to Zambia again, with a plan for a longer stay and more intensive action. Hold on tight – big things are coming!
Contact
ADDRESS:
Głowno, ul. Słowackiego 19, Polska
Łódź, ul. Wersalska 47/75 1p, Polska
Linda, Lusaka, Zambia
PHONE:
(+48) 660-083-611